Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N1/00—Sampling; Preparing specimens for investigation
  • G01N1/28—Preparing specimens for investigation including physical details of (bio-)chemical methods covered elsewhere, e.g. G01N33/50, C12Q
  • G01N1/30—Staining; Impregnating ; Fixation; Dehydration; Multistep processes for preparing samples of tissue, cell or nucleic acid material and the like for analysis
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K31/00—Medicinal preparations containing organic active ingredients
  • A61K31/16—Amides, e.g. hydroxamic acids
  • A61K31/17—Amides, e.g. hydroxamic acids having the group >N—C(O)—N< or >N—C(S)—N<, e.g. urea, thiourea, carmustine
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01N—PRESERVATION OF BODIES OF HUMANS OR ANIMALS OR PLANTS OR PARTS THEREOF; BIOCIDES, e.g. AS DISINFECTANTS, AS PESTICIDES OR AS HERBICIDES; PEST REPELLANTS OR ATTRACTANTS; PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS
  • A01N1/00—Preservation of bodies of humans or animals, or parts thereof
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K33/00—Medicinal preparations containing inorganic active ingredients
  • A61K33/24—Heavy metals; Compounds thereof
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K33/00—Medicinal preparations containing inorganic active ingredients
  • A61K33/24—Heavy metals; Compounds thereof
  • A61K33/28—Mercury; Compounds thereof
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N1/00—Sampling; Preparing specimens for investigation
  • G01N1/28—Preparing specimens for investigation including physical details of (bio-)chemical methods covered elsewhere, e.g. G01N33/50, C12Q
  • G01N1/30—Staining; Impregnating ; Fixation; Dehydration; Multistep processes for preparing samples of tissue, cell or nucleic acid material and the like for analysis
  • G01N2001/305—Fixative compositions

Definitions

• This invention relates to fixatives for preparing human or other animal tissue for microscopic examination.
• Zenkers solution is a solution of potassium dichromate, KzCizO'l, and mercuric chloride, HgClz, in water.
• Zenkers original formula called for the use of a saturated solution of mercuric chloride and 2.5 to 5 percent of potassium dichromate.
• Zenkers original formula For example, Zenker suggested the addition of 5% of acetic acid to the solution and later Helly suggested that up to 5% of a formaldehyde solution (a 40% formaldehyde solution) be used instead of acetic acid, the purpose of the added ingredient, i. e., acetic acid or formaldehyde being to decrease the shrinkage and distortion of the tissue.
• a formaldehyde solution a 40% formaldehyde solution
• the primary object of the present invention is to provide a mercuric chloride-potassium dichromate (Zenkers type) fixative which eliminates or greatly reduces the above mentioned and other disadvantages of the Zenkers type of fixative, as heretofore known, and to provide a fixative of this general type which is chemically stable and capable of standardization.
• Another object is to provide a preparation comprising all of the fixative ingredients in a mixture in the solid phase so that the fixative solution may be prepared merely by dissolving the mixture in water. aration may be conveniently and advanta gecusly put up and sold in the form of a powder and thereafter dissolved in Water for preparing the fixative solution quickly and conveniently and as needed by the pathologist.
• the relative proportions of potassium dichromate and mercuric chloride per 1000 mls. of the fixative solution are preferably such that the molar concentrations of potassium dichromate and mercuric chloride are considerably less than the corresponding concentrations in the Zenkers formula as ordinarily employed, the substances, namely acetic acid and formaldehyde, heretofore proposed by Zenker and Helly, respectively, to counteract shrinkage and distortion of the tissue are omitted.
• the primary function of the urea as an ingredient of the composition is to aid in preventing shrinkage and distortion of the tissue and to act as a swelling agent so as to accelerate the penetration of the solution into the tissue and to eliminate zonal fixation which was heretofore frequently encountered and which retarded the penetration of the fixative into the inner portions of the tissue.
• urea is neutral in respect to mercuric chloride and potassium dichromate disturbance of the chemical stability of these substances or precipitation in the solution is obviated, thus eliminating the objections and disadvantages of acetic acid and formaldehyde.
• urea is a denaturant and contributes to the fixing of the tissue.
• All of the above mentioned ingredients namely potassium dichromate, mercuric chloride, and urea, are preferably in powder formand are mixed together forming a fixative composition in the solid phase.
• This composite powder mixture facilitates packaging and also facilitates the preparation of the fiixativ-e solution, it being merely necessary to dissolve the fixative powder in water.
• the ingredients are mixed together preferably in relative proportions of about 6 parts of potassium dichromate, about 17 parts of mercuric chloride, and about 15 parts of urea in a powder mixture of said ingredients in the solid phase. Accordingly; the powder mixture may be put up and sold in a form convenient both to the manufacturer and the laboratory, and can be easily and conveniently used for preparing the fixative solution in the laboratory as needed.
• fixative powder for 1000 mls. of fixative solution:
• the powder of the above composition is dissolved in sufficient distilled water to make 1000 mls.
• the quantity of potassium dichromate, mercuric chloride and urea in the above example represent 0.04067, 0.1250, and 0.50 molar concentrations of these substances respectively in the solution.
• the above example represents a composition found to give excellent results, the time of treatment being four and one-half hours.
• the relative proportions of the ingredients of the composition are preferably uniform, the quantities thereof per 1000 mls. of the solution, and hence the molar concentrations although of the same ratio, may vary especially if the period of treatment is increased when the molar concentrations are decreased.
• the quantities of the several ingredients may be decreased as indicated by the following example, for 1000 mls. of solution, the time of treatment of the tissue being increased if necessary:
• the molar concentrations of potassium dichromate, mercuric chloride and urea are 0.020335, 0.0625, and 0.25, respectively.
• tissue treated with the fixative of the present invention requires very little, if any, washing; in contrast to the thorough washing required with the higher concentrations of the Zenkers fixative, as heretofore used.
• tissue fixed with the composition of the present invention may be immediately subjected to the dehydration process without intermediate washing, although if desired the tissue may be rinsed quickly in water before immersing it in the dehydrant.
• tissue fixed by the fixative of the present invention may be dehydrated and/or stained in accordance with any suitable method with which the art is familiar.
• a Zenkers type fixative for fixing histologic tissue consisting essentially of potassium dichromate, mercuric chloride, and urea.
• a dry powdered preparation for makin a Zenkers type fixative solution for fixing histologic tissue consisting essentially of from about 0.0203 to about 0.0407 mol of potassium dichromate, from about 0.0625 to about 0.1250 mol of mercuric chloride and from about 0.25 to about 0.50 mol of urea.
• a dry powdered preparation for making a Zenkers type fixative solution for fixing histologic tissue consisting essentially of about 17 parts of mercuric chloride, about 6 parts of potassium dichromate and about 15 parts of urea.
• a Zenkers type fixative for fixing histologic tissue consisting essentially of a water solution containing from about 0.0203 to about 0.0407 mol of potassium dichromate, from about 0.0625 to about 0.1250 mol of mercuric chloride and from about 0.25 to about 0.50 mol of urea.
• a Zenkers type fixative for fixing histologic tissue consisting essentially of a water solution containing about .0407 mol of potassium dichromate, about 0.1250 mol of mercuric chloride and about 0.50 mol of urea.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
• Pharmacology & Pharmacy (AREA)
• Epidemiology (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• Molecular Biology (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
• Biochemistry (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Immunology (AREA)
• Pathology (AREA)
• Dentistry (AREA)
• Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
• Zoology (AREA)
• Environmental Sciences (AREA)
• Investigating Or Analysing Biological Materials (AREA)
• Sampling And Sample Adjustment (AREA)
• Agricultural Chemicals And Associated Chemicals (AREA)

Priority Applications (7)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

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Cited By (11)

Citations (2)

• 0
  • NL NL73904D patent/NL73904C/xx active
  • BE BE496199D patent/BE496199A/xx unknown
• 1950
  • 1950-01-07 US US137489A patent/US2554944A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1950-04-20 DE DET740A patent/DE811016C/de not_active Expired
  • 1950-04-21 GB GB9894/50A patent/GB669887A/en not_active Expired
  • 1950-04-27 FR FR1019292D patent/FR1019292A/fr not_active Expired
  • 1950-05-13 SE SE429850A patent/SE136157C1/xx unknown

Patent Citations (2)

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